The project “Go International (Contract No. DCI-NSAPVD/2012/308-308)” is a three year EU funded project commencing from January 1, 2013 until December 2015. The project is implemented by World Vision Advocacy Forum (WVAF, http://www.wvafnepal.org, a premium national level NGO dedicated to advocating and strengthening the capacity of women, and poor and excluded communities to claim their rights to participate in decisions and influence public policy) as the national partner in partnership with Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI, http://www.cnind.org) - representative body of private sector, as the lead and the Center for Environmental Training and International Consulting, Centric Austria international (CAI) http://www.centric.at), as the international partner.
The project has been prepared to support the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS-2010) in line with the Trade Facilitation and Economic Capacity Building Sector of EU Country Strategy Paper (2011-2013) for improving trade and export opportunities on identified goods and services for inclusive growth and employment generation in Nepal through the creation of a business enabling environment. The target groups of the action are CNI and its local chapters and associations, staff of the SDCs established at the regional level, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and its local chapters, associations, policy makers at the national level, line agencies in the regions and 100 would be - potential entrepreneurs primarily chosen among women, youth and fresh graduates.
The project has focused on promoting one district one product and identified ten products and districts namely Tea (Ilam) and Cardamom (Panchathar) from EDR of Nepal, Silver Jewellery (Lalitpur) and Ginger (Sindhupalchowk) from CDR, Chyangra Pashmina Product (Kaski) and Tourism (Rupandehi) from WDR, Medicinal Herbs/Essential Oils (Jumla) and Lentil (Banke) from MWDR and Handmade Paper/Paper Products (Dadeldhura) and Wool Products (Darchula) from FWDR.
Overall Objective of the project:
To contribute towards the overall business enabling environment to capitalize on trade and export market opportunities for inclusive growth and employment generation through capacity strengthening of small and medium sized producers.
Specific Objective of the project:
Developing the capacity of trade and business associations to enhance the production, logistics, marketing and export capacity of small and medium-sized producers;
Establishment of regional Services Development Centres (SDCs) for Trade Advisory Services (TAS) and Business Development Services (BDS) including information sharing, networking, exchange of good practices and trade business opportunities.
In order to achieve the above objectives, the project will achieve the following results:
Result 1:
Establishment of SDCs and their functioning in the five districts of each region.
Result 2:
Export Services Information portal installed for both Nepali exporters and international importers, hosted and maintained centrally by CNI secretariat.
Result 3:
100 business plans developed for women and youth would-be entrepreneurs.
Result 4:
Export business plans for 250 SMEs finalised and assisted with market links.
Result 5:
"One district-one product" concept sensitization through campaigns enforced in ten districts of five regions.
Major Activities of the project include:
- Establishment of Services Development Centres (SDCs).
- Baseline study on constraints and challenges faced by business people, associations and traders.
- Capacity building training to the staff of CNI, WVAF, and SDCs to strengthen small and medium sized producers, enterprenuers, SDCs on production, logistics, marketing and export capacity.
- Formation of project steering committee and regular meetings for strengthening coordination among Government line ministries, authorities and private sectors.
- Development and Integration of Export Services into Information Portal: Invest Nepal.
- Update Export Services Information portal.
- Development of guidelines on technical standards requirements under WTO “Code of Good Practice for Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards,” regional and bilateral arrangements.
- Conduct SWOT analysis study of 5 export potential products.
- Entrepreneurship development training programmes to enhance capacity options for identified women entrepreneurs.
- Conduct sector-wide training needs assessment to identify 10 potential sectors.
- Training programmes on Business Development Services (BDS), value chain and marketing to SDCs , Trade and Business services, Enterprises and women-owned enterprises.
- Provide assistance to develop 100 inclusive business plans.
- Support to local small and medium sized producers, trade and business associations to enhance capacity to exploit available business opportunities.
- Impact study on export potential products and their value chain analysis.
- Establish linkages between Nepali exporters and importers from EU countries.
- Conduct quarterly meetings of enterperprenuers, investors, farmers and technicians at the districts for addressing various production and trade related issues.
- Regional exhibitions for the promotion of export potentiality of the sectors (products, services).
- Dialogue with key stakeholders (Government, FNCCI, CNI, small and medium-sized producers, traders and business associations) for advocacy and lobbying.
- Radio programme to foster "One district-one product", rights for equitable access to the products and export potentiality/market information of the product.
- Conduct dissemination workshop on the findings of the final evaluation
